The Second House

The Second House: Introduction

The Second House in Astrology is where things get physical. If you can touch it, taste it, smell it or see it – you’ll find it here. You’ll also be able to buy it, as the second house is the house of cash and material, physical goods, so here’s hoping you have enough in the bank. The second house is associated with our resources in a broad sense. We use our resources to support ourselves. That’s often assumed to be money, but it may include gifts and talents that can be monetised. Objects of value and personal values are found here.

If the second house contains the keys to the safe, how do you discover what you’re worth? In this section, I’m going to set out all you need to know about this house in your astrological chart. If you have the Sun, Moon, chart ruler or a stellium of planets in this house, you will have a life where second house associations are an intrinsic part of your astrological make up. Its themes and associations will feature throughout your life.

However, even if this house is not prominent in your natal chart, some of you may find yourselves living here from time to time. Planets may transit and station in your second house. You may experience a second house emphasis in your solar return chart, progressed planets may occupy this house and solar and lunar eclipses may occur here and highlight the affairs of this house when they do. It is almost certain that the afairs of this house will become prominent in your life – one way or another.

So, I’m also going to explain how this house functions in both natal and predictive astrological charts and provide you with some tools to help you make your own chart analysis a little easier. Keywords, for example, are useful because they provide a quick guide to the key principles and associations of this house. However, I’m going to start with the basics to give this worthwhile astrological house some context.

The Second House: Key Qualities

Succedent

The succedent houses follow the angular houses in astrology and they are the places we build on our base and sustain our lives. To do this we often need to be resourceful, creative yet realistic, aware of our physical and material constraints and potentials and use them to make life worth living. We structure our lives in the succedent houses and do so to make our lives secure. Stability, taking stock and enjoying the benefits that accrue from this are key attributes of the succedent houses.

Earth

The second house is an earth house and associated the sign of Taurus. Taurus is solid and dependable and some would say a little dull. However, the qualities of the sign of Taurus are those that prompt us to make our lives secure and stable, in financial and material terms. To achieve this, we need to apply ourselves so we can earn our living and developing our natural talents and capabilities helps us to do exactly that. The earth houses keep us grounded and the second house has a deep affinity with land.

The Second House: Ruler

The second house is ruled by Venus and earth Venus is a material girl. Venus can be acquisitive in this house and it’s no surprise therefore that earth Venus is associated with money – and in this house getting it, spending it and saving it can be priorities for those of you with an emphasis here. Venus here is also concerned with the pleasure – and this is often on the context of the good things that money can buy. Pleasure and value(s) go hand in hand – with Venus ruling, the second house is concerned with values at the most fundamental level.

The Second House: Natal Astrology

With an emphasis on the second house in your natal chart, the overriding message is about structuring your life. This house is about giving things structure and form and one of the ways we are able to do that is by ensuring our material lives are in good shape. So, this means we need to earn a living and pay our way in life. To do this we need to identify our talents and aptitudes for work so we can monetise our skills and support ourselves and others. This makes the second house seem a bit grasping – and it can seem like that. Second house natives tend to hold on to what they have.

We tend to be possessive of the things we have in the second house – whether they are the things we own or the people we love, who in the worst cases can be appraised in terms of their net worth rather than on their intrinsic value as fellow human beings. That’s an extreme scenario, however, your value system will be something to consider when this house is emphasised in your natal chart. What are things really worth to you? How do you prioritise one thing over another? What are the truly important things in life? There are always valuable lessons to be learned in the second house.

One of the greatest lessons we learn in the second house is to value ourselves. Investing in yourself is a feature of this house, however, you’re unlikely to do so if your self esteem is at rock bottom. The message here is to realise you have worthwhile qualities as a person and you can use that realisation to create an inner structural stability that will serve you well in all parts of your life. An emphasis on this house in your natal chart is often a prompt to do exactly that.

So how does that work in real life? As the second house is a material house, reality is what it’s about. Many of you with planetary placements in this house will have a natural affinity with looking after financial affairs. This doesn’t imply that you’ll be tight fisted, as second house natives can spend with abandon. You tend to like value for money – but watch out for Venus’s influence here as you’ll want the best money can buy. You may also have a personal talent in the arts or creative industries – or be drawn to conservative or financially related professions. Dependability and tradition are part of the way you ensure your life remains secure.

The Second House: Keywords

Assets, Cash, Conservative, Conservation, Consolidation, Determination, Earnings, Earning Power, Enduring, Endurance, Expenses, Finances, Fulfilment, Gains and Losses, Generous, Gifts, Giving, Harmonious, Holdings, Investments, Materials, Money, Monetisation, Net Worth, Obstinate, Possessions, Possessive, Protective, Resources, Resourceful, Savings, Security, Self-worth, Self-esteem, Sensuality, Speech, Spending, Talents, Tangible, Value, Values (Personal), Wealth.

The Second House: Predictive Astrology

The second house in predictive astrology shares the fundamental qualities of the natal second house, however, there are essential differences you need to be aware of when analysing a predictive chart. These usually fall into two categories. First, predictive charts and the issues they raise are often temporary. Second, those who are dealing with second house issues in a predictive chart are not necessarily natal second house subjects and will not necessarily possess the traits associated with this house.

With a second house emphasis in a predictive chart, you may find yourself having to pay more attention to your expenses than usual. You may have to prepare yourself for changes in your personal finances (in either direction), issues concerning your personal possessions – particularly regarding their value. Your own value system may be up for review and you may also encounter issues regarding your self esteem.

In a predictive chart an emphasis on this house can come as a reality check – earth houses often do that – so you may need to be more resourceful during the year, look to your innate talents as a way of earning extra cash for example. Being resourceful in this house can include being more ‘earthy’ – it’s not unknown to take up an interest in growing your own vegetables or becoming more ecologically aware when there is a second house emphasis in a predictive chart.

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Picture credit: Image by katharinakanns from Pixabay